Archive for the ‘Alt-right’ Category

Reddit just banned two prominent alt-right subreddits – Fast Company

There's a fun little section in the Snap Inc. IPO filing titled "Why We Sell Ads." It's odd, in a way, that Snap should have to explain this in the first placeadvertising is the company's primary source of revenue, after all. Yet it starts with a candid admission that "When we first started building Snapchat, we didn't know how it would make money."

Like so many other tech companies, Snap focused on creating fun ways for people to share pictures on smartphones. The product was new, and it wasn't clear how to build a business around it, the statement continues. But soon the startup realized that "we needed to start monetizingand fast. Our server bills were getting expensive."

At first the company figured people would buy creative tools so that they could have more ways to, for instance, draw captions on their pictures. So it opened a Lens Store at the end of 2015, with each lens costing just 99 cents.But the results were disappointing. Snap closed the store after just two months, in January 2016, and made all the Lenses free.

That's the moment whenthe Snapchat community began creating a lot more Snaps:

"We learned that asking users to pay for Creative Tools was a bad idea. It meant introducing more friction into the process of self-expression, which was the opposite of what we wanted on Snapchat. We also learned something exciting about building new products: if we built more Creative Tools and made them available to everyone for free, our users would create more Snaps and spend more time on Snapchat."

And that's how Snap came up with advertiser-backed creative toolssponsored Lenses and Geofilters. Today's IPO filing also revealed that Snap's 2016 revenue was $404.5 million, and its global average revenue per user, or ARPU, was $1.05. NR

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Reddit just banned two prominent alt-right subreddits - Fast Company

Steve Bannon: The unelected ‘alt-right’ figurehead running the White House – The Independent

In November 2015, Stephen K. Bannon then the executive chairman of Breitbart News was hosting a satellite radio show. His guest was Montana RepresentativeRyan Zinke, who opposed President Obamas plan to resettle some Syrian refugees in the United States.

We need to put a stop on refugees until we can vet, MrZinke said.

Mr Bannon cut him off.

Why even let em in? he asked.

Mr Bannon said that vetting refugees from Muslim-majority countries would cost money and time. Cant that money be used in the United States? he said. Should we just take a pause and a hiatus for a number of years on any influx from that area of the world?

In the years before MrBannon grabbed the worlds attention as President Trumps chief White House strategist, he was developing and articulating a fiery populist vision for remaking the United States and its role in the world.

Mr Bannons past statements, aired primarily on Breitbart and other conservative platforms, serve as a road map for the controversial agenda that has roiled Washington and shaken the global order during Mr Trumps first two weeks in office.

Now, at the centre of power in the White House, MrBannon is moving quickly to turn his ideas into policy, helping direct the biggest decisions of Mr Trumps administration. The withdrawal from a major trade pact. A ban on all visitors from seven majority-Muslim countries. And in an echo of that conversation with MrZinke, who is now Mr Trumps nominee for interior secretary there was a temporary ban on all new refugees.

The result has been intense fury from Democrats, discomfort among many Republicans, and a growing sense of unease in the world that Mr Trump intends to undermine an America-centered world that has lasted 70 years. This sense of turmoil, welcomed by many Trump supporters as proof that the new president is following through on his vow to jolt Washington, reflects the sort of transformation that MrBannon has long called for.

That worldview, which MrBannon laid out in interviews and speeches over the past several years, hinges largely on Mr Bannons belief in American sovereignty. MrBannon said that countries should protect their citizens and their essence by reducing immigration, legal and illegal, and pulling back from multinational agreements.

As nationwide protests against President Trumps immigration mandate rage on, he reshuffled the National Security Council and put chief strategist and former Breitbart News chair Stephen Bannon in an unprecedented national security role (Washington Post)

At the same time, MrBannon was concerned that the United States and the Judeo-Christian West were in a war against an expansionist Islamic ideology but that they were losing the war by not recognising what it was. MrBannon said this fight was so important, it was worth overlooking differences and rivalries with countries like Russia.

It is not yet clear how far MrBannon will be able to go to enact his agenda. His early policy moves have been marred by administrative chaos. But his world view calls for bigger changes than those already made.

In the past, MrBannon had wondered aloud whether the country was ready to follow his lead. Now, he will find out.

Is that grit still there, that tenacity, that weve seen on the battlefields... fighting for something greater than themselves? MrBannon said in another radio interview last May, before he joined the Trump campaign.

That,said MrBannon, is one of the biggest open questions in this country.

Mr Bannon, 62, is a former Navy officer and Goldman Sachs banker who made a fortune after he acquired a share of the royalties from a fledgling TV show called Seinfeld. In the past 15 years, he shifted into entertainment and conservative media, making films about Ronald Reagan and Sarah Palin and then taking a lead role at Breitbart News.

At Breitbart, MrBannon cemented his role as a champion of the alt-right, the anti-globalism movement that has attracted support from white supremacists and found a home on the far-right website.

Mr Bannon also forged a rapport with Mr Trump, interviewing the businessman-candidate on his show and then, in August 2016, joining the campaign as chief executive.

Now, MrBannon has become one of the most powerful men in America. And he is not afraid to say so.

In interviews with reporters since Mr Trumps election, MrBannon has eschewed the traditional it-is-all-about-the-boss humility of presidential staffers.

Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. Thats power, he told the Hollywood Reporter in November, embracing the comparisons of him to those figures.

Donald Trump's closest advisor Steve Bannon thinks there will be war with China in the next few years

In the same interview, MrBannon compared himself to a powerful aide to Englands Henry VIII an aide who helped engineer a world-shaking move of his era, the split of the Church of England from the Catholic Church.

I am Thomas Cromwell in the court of the Tudors, MrBannon told the Hollywood Reporter.

To explore Mr Bannons world view, The Washington Post reviewed hours of radio interviews that MrBannon conducted while hosting a Breitbart radio talk show, as well as speeches and interviews he has given since 2014.

MrBannon did not respond to a request for comment made on Tuesday afternoon.

In his public statements, MrBannon espoused a basic idea that Mr Trump would later seize as the centrepiece of his campaign.

While others saw the world rebounding from the financial crisis of 2008, MrBannon just saw it becoming more divided by class.

The elites that had caused the crisis or, at least, failed to stop it were now rising higher. Everyone else was being left behind.

The middle class, the working men and women in the world... are just tired of being dictated to by what we call the party of Davos, MrBannon said in a 2014 speech to a conference at the Vatican in a recording obtained by BuzzFeed. Davos is a Swiss ski resort that hosts an annual conclave of wealthy and powerful people.

Mr Bannon blamed both major political parties for this system and set out to force his ideas on an unwilling Republican leadership.

What he wanted, he said again and again, was sovereignty. Both in the United States and in its traditional allies in Western Europe.

Steve Bannon calls liberal women 'a bunch of dykes'

On one of the first Breitbart Radio shows, in early November 2015, MrBannon praised the growing movement in Britain to exit the European Union. He said that the British had joined the EUmerely as a trading federation but that it had grown into a force that had stripped Britons of sovereignty in every aspect important to their own life.

Mr Bannon has been supportive of similar movements in other European countries to pull out of the union. Mr Trump has echoed those sentiments in his first few days as president. It is a remarkable shift in USpolicy: After decades of building multinational alliances as a guarantee of peace, now the White House has indicated it may undermine them.

Mr Bannon, in his 2014 speech at the Vatican, cast this as a return to a better past.

I think strong countries and strong nationalist movements in countries make strong neighbours, MrBannon said. And that is really the building blocks that built Western Europe and the United States, and I think its what can see us forward.

In the case of the United States, MrBannon was sceptical of multinational trade pacts, saying that they ceded control. In a radio interview in November 2015, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions agreed with MrBannon.

We shouldnt be tying ourselves down like Gulliver in the land of Lilliputians with so many strings a guy cant move, said Mr Sessions, who is now Mr Trumps nominee to become attorney general. He was referring to a scene from the novel Gullivers Travels in which the hero is tied down by a race of tiny men. That is where we are heading, and its not necessary.

One solution put forward by MrBannon: the United States should pursue bilateral trade agreements one country at a time rather than multi-country agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership supported by Obama.

He suggested as much to Mr Trump himself, when the candidate appeared on his show in November 2015.

Trump brings [a deal] back to the Senate and gets his bilateral trade deal with Taiwan or with Japan approved by two-thirds of the Senate, MrBannon said. And you have to go argue, Hey, this is why its a good deal. And thats the way the Founders wanted it.

On a March 2016 episode, MrBannon said that restoring sovereignty meant reducing immigration. In his radio shows, he criticised the federal H-1B visa programmes that permit UScompanies to fill technical positions with workers from overseas.

Sean Spicer defends Steve Bannon sitting in on national security council meetings

The progressive plutocrats in Silicon Valley, MrBannon said, want unlimited ability to go around the world and bring people back to the United States. Engineering schools, MrBannon said, are all full of people from South Asia, and East Asia... Theyve come in here to take these jobs. Meanwhile, MrBannon said, American students cant get engineering degrees; they cant get into these graduate schools because they are all foreign students. When they come out, they cant get a job.

Dont we have a problem with legal immigration? asked MrBannon repeatedly.

Twenty percent of this country is immigrants. Is that not the beating heart of this problem? he said, meaning the problem of native-born Americans being unable to find jobs and rising wages.

In another show, MrBannon had complained to Trump that so many Silicon Valley chief executives were South Asian or Asian. This was a rare time when Mr Trump normally receptive to Mr Bannons ideas on-air pushed back. I still want people to come in, Mr Trump said. But I want them to go through the process.

So far, Mr Trump has made no changes to the high-skilled visa program. This week, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that the Trump administration may reexamine the program.

Even as MrBannon was calling for a general retreat from multinational alliances, however, he was warning of the need for a new alliance involving only a subset of the worlds countries.

The Judeo-Christian West was at war, he said, but didnt seem to understand it yet.

There is a major war brewing, a war thats already global, Bannon said at the Vatican in 2014, at a time when the Islamic State was gaining territory. Every day that we refuse to look at this as what it is and the scale of it, and really the viciousness of it will be a day where you will rue that we didnt act.

Mr Bannon has given few details about the mechanics of the war he thinks the West should fight. But he has been clear that it is urgent enough to take priority over other rivalries and worries.

In his talk at the Vatican, MrBannon was asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Bannons answer was two-sided.

I think that Putin and his cronies are really a kleptocracy, that are really an imperialist power that want to expand, he said. But, MrBannon said, there were bigger concerns than Russia and there was something to admire in Mr Putins call for more traditional values.

However, I really believe that in this current environment, where youre facing a potential new caliphate that is very aggressive that is really a situation Im not saying we can put [Russia] on a back burner but I think we have to deal with first things first, MrBannon said.

If MrBannon succeeds, MrBannons own comparison, to Englands Thomas Cromwell, might be apt to a point.

The analogy if its going to work is that Bannon has his own agenda, which he will try to use Trump for, and will try to exploit the power that Trump has given him, without his master always noticing, said Diarmaid MacCulloch, a professor of history at Englands Oxford University.

But Cromwell was later executed, after Henry VIII turned against him. For a man like that, MrMacCulloch said, power is always tenuous: Its very much dependent on the favour of the king.

Washington Post

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Steve Bannon: The unelected 'alt-right' figurehead running the White House - The Independent

Protests greet ‘alt-right’ Old Town headquarters – Alexandria Times

By Chris Teale (Photo/Chris Teale)

Around 100 protestors from faith groups and other community organizations protested Sunday in Old Town against the self-proclaimed alt-right movements new headquarters in the city.

The group gathered at the intersection of King and Patrick streets where the new headquarters is located and stayed for just over two hours holding signs, chanting and singing. It is the largest such demonstration since the headquarters opened.

David Hoover, a parishioner at the historic Christ Church on North Washington Street, said the churchs Out and About group settled on helping launch a protest last week after a conversation with its rector. The group hosts monthly events and other social activities for parishioners, guests and visitors to welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Showing Up for Racial Justices Northern Virginia chapter, a group that organizes white people to campaign for racial equality through community mobilization and education, also brought representatives.

And Grassroots Alexandria, a non-partisan group formed to get people involved in campaigning and advocacy on local issues, also showed its support in addition to other nearby faith groups.

A website called AltRight. com rented office space at King and North Patrick streets and launched earlier this month. The website lists three members of its leadership team: Daniel Friberg, Jason Jorjani and Richard Spencer.

A post on AltRight.com said it looks to bring together the best writers and analysts from that sphere. The alt-rights core concept is that white people and their influence are being undermined by mass immigration and multiculturalism.

Nonprofit civil rights advocacy group the Southern Poverty Law Center describes the alt-right as white supremacy rebranded for the digital age. Ryan Lenz, editor of the SPLCs Hatewatch blog, said they can express their views under the First Amendment and must be respected as such.

Thats the reality, Lenz said. These are protected under the First Amendment, so long as there are not explicit calls for violence. Its one of the unfortunate realities of the hate movement of the United States: that it exists out there. It is in our neighborhoods, it is in our back yards now more than ever especially as a result of a pretty progressive trend to move these ideas from the margins to the mainstream of American culture.

In recent days, protesting the group has received support from some elected officials. Delegate Mark Levine (D- 45) said at a town hall meeting Saturday that he would be happy to sign a letter to the buildings owner explaining the situation and some of the communitys opposition.

He [Spencer] does have a legal right to be there, but we have a legal right to let him know how unwelcome he is, Levine said at the event, hosted jointly with state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30) at Mount Vernon Community School in Del Ray.

The protest Sunday was a peaceful one, with traffic able to flow freely and pedestrians not affiliated with the march able to navigate the sidewalks. A number of cars showed their support by honking their horns as they drove past, and several King Street Trolleys rang their bells.

An officer from the Alexandria Police Department was posted nearby to monitor the situation, but was not called into action at any point. Police spokeswoman Crystal Nosal said the protestors had reached out to the department beforehand, primarily to seek advice on the legalities of their event and things to be aware of.

For some protestors, it was important to stand against what they saw as the return of extreme racist views to the mainstream.

Weve come too far to be doing this again in the United States, said local resident Ellen Bowman. I cant believe how far the United States has gone down this road, but if we have to protest every day to stop it, well protest every day to stop it.

Others said it was troubling to see the movement not only in the mainstream, but also in their neighborhood. Several cited city councils statement of inclusiveness, issued in November to emphasize the citys diversity as a strength.

Then to have the juxtaposition of someone so full of hate, him leading that group of hate-filled people, does not sit well with me, said Bridget Evans, a parishioner at Christ Church. With our church coming over here, I was incredibly enthusiastic to join.

Im aghast that what we thought was a fringe movement of white supremacy is right under our noses. Its no longer what you hear about in the far West, said resident Karen Schwarz, referring to Spencers previous residence in Montana. Its no longer these little groups. Its right here under our noses and in our community. For me, thats scary.

Felicity Boyer of the local SURJ chapter said a number of initiatives are coming down the pike to fight against what she described as a climate of hatred. Boyer said that will include a future joint statement being worked on by faith and ethics groups on inclusivity and encouraging people to be their best selves.

And as for future work, Jonathan Krall of Grassroots Alexandria said the onus is on opponents in the community to keep making themselves heard on various issues.

Its not just a matter of pushing back, its a matter of pushing forward, he said.

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Protests greet 'alt-right' Old Town headquarters - Alexandria Times

Alt-right, alt-right, alt-right: Matthew McConaughey says give Trump a chance – National Post

There seems to be an ever-growing list of celebrities who have publicly denounced President Donald Trump (including George Clooney, Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep), but there are also several members of the entertainment industry who have shown support for the U.S. Commander-In-Chief.

During an interview with the BBCin London for his new movie Gold, Matthew McConaughey was posed the following question: Everysingle American actor or arty type who comes to Londondumps on Trump, so should Americagive the guy a break?

Well, they dont have much of a choice, McConaughey said. Hes our president. And its very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time that weve ever had. At the same time, its time for us to embrace, shake hands with this fact, and be constructive with him over the next four years. So, even those who most strongly may disagree with his principles or things hes said and done which is another thing, well see what he does compared to what he had said no matter how much you even disagreed along the way, its time to think about how constructive can you be. Because hes our president for the next four years. At least.

The interview aired Sunday after Trump made international waves by signing an executive order to ban immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Last month, Nicole Kidman made similar commentsto the BBC when she saidhes now elected, and we as a country need to support whoever is the president because thats what the countrys based on.

She latersaid that her comments were meant in reference tothe democratic process,and not Trump.

Shouts to John Tabin for the headline help:

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Alt-right, alt-right, alt-right: Matthew McConaughey says give Trump a chance - National Post

Canada’s "Alt-Right" Mosque Shooter, And What He Means For Right-Wing Media – Media Matters for America (blog)


Media Matters for America (blog)
Canada's "Alt-Right" Mosque Shooter, And What He Means For Right-Wing Media
Media Matters for America (blog)
It's not true that the accused gunman who entered the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City on Sunday night and opened fire on dozens of defenseless worshippers was of Moroccan origin. And it's also not true that the gunman, who was later ...
Alexandre Bissonnette: Is Quebec shooter a pro-Trump alt-right terrorist?International Business Times UK
Alt-right leader Richard Spencer prompts anger with tweet asking why there are mosques in 'one of North America's ...Daily Mail
Suspect in mosque shooting a moderate conservative turned extremist, say friends, classmatesYahoo News Canada (blog)
BBC News -Patheos (blog)
all 3,196 news articles »

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Canada's "Alt-Right" Mosque Shooter, And What He Means For Right-Wing Media - Media Matters for America (blog)